Graduate Degrees in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Your passion lies in helping others to communicate. Children. Adults. In schools.
Hospitals. Private practice. As a speech-language pathologist, you intend to change
individuals’ lives by helping them develop communication skills they never had or
regain abilities they lost. Our program will make you one of the top clinical scientists
in the profession.

Speech-language pathologists work with children and adults who exhibit limitations
in the areas of speech, language, literacy and hearing that often impact academic
performance, career opportunities and socialization. A master’s degree provides students
with the skills to provide clinical services in a variety of settings, including schools,
hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and private practice. Students who
are unable to pursue their master’s degree full-time on the Columbia campus (Master
of Speech Pathology) may consider applying to the Master of Communication Disorders
degree, which is offered part-time via distance learning.The Doctor of Philosophy degree prepares future researchers to advance the science of the profession and train
the next generation of clinical scientists.

Master of Communication Disorders in Speech-Language Pathology (MCD)

If you would like to become a speech-language pathologist but perhaps have job or
family commitments that prevent you from attending a full-time master’s program, then
we encourage you to consider our Master of Communication Disorders (MCD) program,
which is offered part-time through distance learning. With your MCD degree, you will
be able to work in any setting a speech-language pathologist can work: schools, hospitals,
other medical facilities, private practice, etc. As a speech-language pathologist,
you will be able to work with children and adults who have all types of communication
disorders, including speech (e.g., articulation, motor speech difficulties), language
(e.g., slow to develop spoken language, autism, literacy difficulties, loss of language
due to stroke), fluency (e.g., stuttering), voice (e.g., harsh voice, dialects) and
swallowing (e.g., feeding, inability to swallow) problems, and more. The application
deadline is January 1 for summer admission.

Master of Speech Pathology (MSP)

If you would like to become a speech-language pathologist and can attend a full-time
master’s program, then we encourage you to consider our Master of Speech Pathology
(MSP) program. With your MSP degree, you will be able to work in any setting a speech-language
pathologist can work: schools, hospitals, other medical facilities, private practice,
etc. As a speech-language pathologist, you will be able to work with children and
adults who have all types of communication disorders, including speech (e.g., articulation,
motor speech difficulties), language (e.g., slow to develop spoken language, autism,
literacy difficulties, loss of language due to stroke), fluency (e.g., stuttering),
voice (e.g., harsh voice, dialects), and swallowing (feeding, inability to swallow)
problems, and more.

Students pursuing the MSP degree must maintain full-time status on a year-round basis for two calendar years. Because
of the importance of correct sequencing of courses, it is required that all MSP students
enter the program at a prescribed time and maintain full-time enrollment for the duration
of the program. Once in the program, if you find it necessary to interrupt your graduate
studies, you must apply for re-admission, and re-entry into the program must coincide
with the point of exit to ensure that all courses are taken in proper sequence. The
application deadline is January 1 for summer or fall admission.

Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Are you interested in conducting cutting-edge research in speech-language pathology
and/or speech science? Perhaps you are interested in a career in higher education
as a researcher/educator, where you can conduct research and perhaps educate the next
cadre of speech-language pathologists. Our doctoral program in communication sciences
and disorders will prepare you with the necessary research and pedagogical skills
to meet your goals and objectives to be a top-notch researcher and educator.

Contact

Our departmental graduate directors are also here to help with any program specific
questions you may have.